Suspension device for washing machines and centrieugal dryers



A ril 21, 1970 H. E. V ANDERHEYDEN 3,507,469

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES AND CENTRIFUGAL DRYERS F'iled Oct. 14, 1966 I 3 Sheets-Sheet l H. E. I anderheyden GLLJM A ATTOVLNGJS A ril 21, 1970 H. E. VANDERHEYDEN 7,

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES AND CENTRIFUGAL DRYERS Filed Oct. 14, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HVE. Vand /heade ATTC KN E55 April 21, 1970 Filed Oct. 14, 1966 H. E. VANDERHEYDEN SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES AND CENTRIFUGAL DRYERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2aas m l I I 4 9 INVENTOR.

H, E. Vc znc/erbe den gl-vwog mx ATTDILN E55 United States Patent 671,526 Int. Cl. D06]? 37/22; F16f 9/04 US. Cl. 248-22 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A suspension device for industrial washing and centrifugal drying machines is provided with a base plate carrying several columns, each of the columns having at its upper end a closure plate with elastic bellows carrying suitable supports, the bellows being supplied with compressed air from a suitable source.

The present invention concerns a new suspension device particularly for industrial washing and centrifugal drying machines with a washing and drying drum rotating about an approximately horizontal axis.

It is known that such machines are subject to considerable vibrations, especially due to the fact that through rotation of the drum, the load of the latter is unevenly distributed. In order to distribute more evenly the resulting stresses and to prevent the oscillation resulting from a faulty balancing of the load, it has already been suggested, on the one hand, to subdivide the drum in compartments with individual inlets, and on the other hand to support the machine on elastic suspension devices. Notwithstanding these improvements, the machines which are available at present still require heavy foundations and/or anchorages. The present invention has for object to solve the vibration problem in such manner that no special foundations or anchorages will be required. With this object in view, the invention pertains to a new suspension device which mainly consists in the combination of at least two deformable pneumatic elements and at least two shock absorbers, known as such. The present invention may be summarized as comprising a number of columns, preferably four columns, mounted on a base plate, as well as a suspended housing containing a drum, four corresponding supports being located on the housing. The columns carry closure plates with elastic bellows upon which the supports rest. Furthermore, hydraulic shock absorbers are provided between the base plate and the housing.

Apart from the advantages mentioned above, this suspension device is characterized by the further feature that it can always be adapted to the weight of the load in the machine, the loading door or doors of the drum and the various parts of the machine remaining accessible all the time.

The characteristics and advantages of the device according to the present invention are explained below in the description of a preferred form of embodiment, solely by way of example, without implying any limitations and on the hand of the appended drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a washing machine equipped with the device according to the inven-' tion;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic front view in the direction of arrow F2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 represents, on an enlarged scale, a cross section of the suspension element marked by F3 in FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross section by a plane of which the trace follows the straight line IVIV of FIGURE 3.

In the described embodiment, the washing and centrifugal machine mainly consists of a drum 1 capable of rotating on trunions 2 and 3 driven by a motor 4 via a reduction gear 5 and a belt 6. The drum 1 is surrounded by a jacket 7 provided for instance with an entrance door -8. Further, the machine is fitted with a base plate 9 onto which are fastened four columns 10. Each of these columns 10 has a hollow, elastic envelope 11 onto which the jacket 7 is made to rest by means of supports 12 fastened thereto.

As indicated in FIGURE 3, the upper end of each column 10 is closed by a plate 13, whereby the top surface of the plate 13 is provided with an anchorag ering 14. This ring 14 is designed for engaging the appropriate lower edge 15 of the envelope 11, whereby the upper edge 16 of the latter engages in the same way a ring 17 fastened onto the lower face of a closing plate 18 connected to the support 12.

Onto the upper face of plate 13, a pedestal 19 is fastened coaxially with column 11 and supports a rubber cylinder 20. The latter has an axial bore 21 in part of which extend two pins 22 and 22 which are fastened respectively to the lower part of plate 18 and to the upper face of pedestal 19. The elastic envelope 11 is provided midway with a cireumferencial groove 23 into which is fitted a reinforcement ring 24. The inner space of the envelope 11 is connected in a known manner with a (nonrepresented) source of compressed air by means of controlling means through which the pressures in the elastic envelope 11 can be adapted to the weight of the machine load, according to values which may be predetermined. The four envelopes 11 which are part of the described suspension device may either be mutually connected or connected two by two.

In combination with each envelope 11, there is provided a shock absorber 25, known as such, which mainly consists of a cylinder 26 fitted with a piston 27 and a piston rod 28. The lower end 29 of cylinder 26 is fitted so as to be able to rotate about a pivot 30 hearing in a support 31 which is part of the base plate 9 of the machine. The upper, screwed end 32 of piston rod 28 is fastened in an adjustatble way to a block 34 by means of a nut 33, whereby this block is mounted by means of a holder 35 so as to be able to rotate about a pivot 36. This latter pivot 36 is also fastened onto one of the ends of jacket 7, by means of a nut 37.

Since the parts of the machine which must be suspended are not connected with any other parts of the base plate, it is necessary to prevent the rather shaky set-up of envelope 11 from giving rise to tipping, whereby the reinforcement rings 24 might come to stand in a slanting position. In order to avoid this, the rings 24 are mutually connected by a frame 38. In this way, the horizontal position of the rings is assured while upward and lateral movements remain possible. Hence, the envelopes 11 can leave the parts to be suspended free to swing in the vertical and in the horizontal directions, while the danger of tipping is ruled out.

It is quite obvious that all kinds of modifications can be applied to the form of embodiment described above, without extending beyond the scope of the present invention. So for instance, it is possible to bring the inner space of envelope 11 in connection with the inner space of column 10. Similarly, the shock absorber 25 can be used inside column 10, whereby the upper end of the piston rod 32 is connected to plate 18.

What I claim is:

1. A suspension device for a washing and centrifugal drying machine having a base plate and a suspended housing containing a drum, said device comprising four columns mounted on said base plate, four corresponding supports carried by said housing, four elastic bellows, each of said bellows being mounted between a separate column and its corresponding support, means continuously maintaining said bellows under air pressure, each of said bellows having a circumferential groove formed therein, a separate reinforcement ring located in each groove, and a frame interconnecting said reinforcement rings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Musschoot 248-22 X Monroe 26734 X Sal-fell et al. 248----18 X Pellerin 248-18 Erdmann et al 26734 X Kuhn 26735 Landon 68--24 FOREIGN PATENTS Canada.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

